Huawei a popular phone manufacturer has partnered with Close the Gap – a Belgium nonprofit organization, to launch the DigiTruck project. Through this project, they will provide digital skills training to rural communities in Kenya. DigiTruck is part of Huawei’s ‘Tech4ALL’ digital inclusion initiative.
The project aims to boost the awareness and accessibility of digital skills to rural communities via mobile digital classrooms made from truck containers. The truck is designed with wireless broadband that is enabled by Fixed Wireless Access, laptops, and smartphones. The truck is also equipped with VR contents for digital education.
DigiTruck is powered by solar panels and batteries, this enables it to reach rural communities without electricity. All devices in the truck are refurbished, and to extend the life of these devices, DigiTruck will be teaching responsible e-waste management and bring safe online training to the trainees.
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According to Olivier Vanden Eynde, Founder, and CEO of Close the Gap, they have been bridging the digital divide in developing countries by providing high quality refurbished ICT-devices through over 5700 projects in the last 15 years. Olivier noted that they have been able to reach the most isolated communities with little or no access to ICT through DigiTruck. He stated their excitement to partner Huawei for a Kenya DigiTruck-project.
Huawei aims to get everyone digitally included through the DigiTruck project. The trucks will move around rural communities on specified dates to provide digital skills training to teachers, communities without an internet presence, and youths on how to study and make a living online.
Huawei aims to train 7,000 teachers and community members on digital literacy, entrepreneurship, and online job opportunities within a year.
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